String-holder for violins.



Patented Oct. 24, I899. H. W. PEARSON.

STRING HOLDER FDR VIOLINS.

(Application filed Aug. 8, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES- INVENTEI F l g- M HT TY- UNITED STATES PATENT Orri cs.

HORACE \V. PEARSON, OF PORTSMOUTH, NETV HAMPSHIRE.

STRING-HOLDER FOR VIOLlNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,347, dated October24:, 1899.

Application filed August 8, 1893. Serial No. 688,080. (No model.)

.l'o aZZ whom 222; may concern.-

Be it known that I, HORACE IV. PEARSON, of Portsmouth, in the county ofRockingham and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in String-Holders for Violins or other StringedInstruments, of which the following is a description sufficiently full,clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art orscience towhich said invention appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tailpieceof a violin detached from the body; Fig. 2, an under side View of thesame, showing my improved string-holder or reel in position; Fig. 3, avertical longitudinal section, enlarged, of the same; and Fig. 4:, aplan view of details.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the differentfigures of the drawings.

It is well known to players of stringed musical instruments,particularly the violin,that much difficulty is experienced bythefrequent breaking of certain strings of high pitch. This isespecially noticeable with what is known as the E-string and results inmuch delay and trouble in knotting said string into the tailpiece andconnecting it to the key. Moreover, these strings are usually constructed of such lengths as to somewhat exceed thrice the distance from thetailpiece to the key, the surplus string being permitted to hang looselyfrom the key, a constant source of annoyance to the player. My inventionis designed especially to supply an adjustable holder for this stringthat will take up the surplus, obviate the necessity of knottinginto thetailpiece, and withal will not in any degree interfere with the propertuning or tension- ,ing of the string or with the sound of theinstrume'nt.

The nature and operation of my improvement will be understood from thefollowing explanation.

In the drawings, A represents a tailpiece of a violin detached. Thispiece is of the ordinary form and construction and is attached to theinstrumentin the usual manner. For this reason it is not deemedessential to illustrate the neck and body of the violin, as myimprovement is not dependent directly upon them. The tailpiece has theusual string slots or openings 1) in its forward end and the opening dfor the attaching hook-pin in its outer end.

In convenient position adjacent the slots 1) on the under face of thepiece A a plate g is secured rigidly by screws. The body of this plate gis circular (see Fig. 4) and at its pcriphery at one side is providedwith two outwardly-turned lips 7L, which form ways or guides fora reelhereinafter described. The lip 7L nearest the strin g-hole I) alsoserves as a bridge for the string E, passing from said reel.Eccentrically of this circular plate att' a horizontally-swingin gclamping-lever 7c is pivoted of such length that its free end projectsoutside the edge of the tailpiece A. This lever has a boss or projectionm, which overlaps the plate g, and when the lever is thrown forward, asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, will not engage said plate, butwhen thrown in the opposite direction will engage it, as shown.

A reel consisting of a hub 19, connecting a disk-shaped head q with astar-head s, is disposed detachably on the plate g. On this reel theE-string is wound. The head q of the reel is a disk that registers withthe circular body of plate 9 and is held against said plate' by the lipsor lugs h.

\Vhen the locking-lever K is thrown into dotted position in Fig. 2, thereel bearing the string may be adjusted on the plate under the lugs. Thestring end is then passed through slot 1) in the tailpiece andsufficiently unreeled to string the instrument. Then lever 7c is thrownto the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, and its boss or cam on engages theperiphery of the disk 1 in the direction said reel is rotating as thestring passes off. Said lever being eccentric of the reel, it will locksaid reel against further rotation as tension is put upon the string intuning in a manner readily understood by those conversant with suchmatters. When the string breaks and it is desired to obtain more, thereel is released from the locking-cam and the operation above describedrepeated.

Concealed under the tailpiece the apparatus does not present an unusualappearance on sounding-board interferes in no mannerwith" the tone ofthe instrument.

It is my intention that reels provided with strings shall be suppliedthe users, only one equipment with the base-plate being necessary.

Harps, bass viols, mandolins, and any stringed instrument, it will beunderstood, may be provided with my improvement, but its especialutility is in a violin.

I am aware that the tailpieees of instruments of this class have beenemployed for storing surplus string. My device is designed, however, tosupply a detachable reel that may be quickly and easily adjusted andheld in place in such manner as not to interfere with the looks or soundof the instrument.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim iS 1. The tailpiece incombination with the plate rigidly secured to the under face thereof andprovided with a lip or projection; the lever pivoted to said plate; andthe string-containing reel detachably secured to said plate by saidlever and lip, eccentric to the pivot of said lever substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

2. The tailpiece in combination with the plate secured to the under facethereof and having the lip, h; the cam-bearing lever pivoted on saidplate; the reel fitted to rotate loosely on said plate eccentric to theleverpivot and provided with the star-wheel, said lever being arrangedto lock said reel to said lip against rotation when thrown in onedirection and free said reel when thrown in the opposite directionsubstantially as described.

HORACE XV. PEARSON.

Witnesses:

NELLIE M. WHIDDEN, SAMUEL R. GARDNER.

